The primary difference between a hoarder and a collector is taste.

Via Profiles in History, partners Michael H. Epstein and Scott E. Schwimer are selling a huge amount of their world-class glamour photography archive the week of March 22. From the looks of the catalogue, their taste is unsurpassed. Their collection numbers over a million images, including the above George Hurrell masterpiece image of Jean Harlow on a bearskin rug (above), one of the most famous portraits of all time, fine art by Andy Warhol and others and the Mel Roberts archive.

I wanna buy it all! I totally relate to Epstein (see video interview below) when he describes his motivation as a collector:

"I think what happens is—I'm an addict. Fortunately, I'm not addicted to drugs or alcohol, but I am addicted to buying things and I have just, every time I see something that intrigues me, if it's affordable, I can't help myself."

This is me to a "T." Except "affordable" has a highly massagable meaning; for me, it often means if I have the money in my pocket, in my bank account or if it's in some other way available to me, the future be damned.

It's also incredible to hear his recollection of attending Richard Avedon's first show in New York in 1975, where none of his works was sold for more than $500; this is part of why I am an impulsive buyer, the idea that objects will later be out of reach financially or availability-wise.

The proceeds will, in part, benefit the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. It's nice knowing all these celebs—to whom so many gay men in particular have been devoted to the point of distraction—will in this way be giving back to the community that helped make them immortal.

Good-bye, Norma Jean...hello, gorgeous. 

I'd love to get locked in his warehouse overnight and just look at everything. After the jump, a brief interview with Epstein (in six pieces)...